Cup or glass-supporting plate



Jan. 8, 1952 w. wr-:IDLER CUP OR GLASS-SUPPORTING PLATE Filed Sept. 22, 1947 INVENTOR. fd/fer /lzaler ByY g, v

Patented Jan. 8, 1952 2,582,183' n CUP oa GLASS-SUPPORTING PLATE 'Walter Weialer, Milwaukee, Wis.`

Application September 22, 1947, Serial No. 775,404

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4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cup or glass holder-incorporating plates .for picnic, luncheon or buifet supper service and is a continuation in part of my application Ser. No. 478,150, led March 5, 1943, now Patent No. 2,427,697, dated September 23, 1947.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a cup or glass confining means which will be at least functionally integral with `the plate when in use, and which cup or glass conning means may and preferably comprises an annular drip-catching ange of absorbent material surrounding the cup or glass.

Additionally, the invention contemplates an organization as characterized which lends itself readily to fibrous material construction or manufacture so that the invention may be expressed using ordinary paper or other b-rous material of which a conventional luncheon plate is made, it being understood, however, that the other materials such as china, metal, pottery or the like may be employed.

Additionally, the invention contemplates a functionally integral plate and cup or glass support wherein a portion of the plate wall or plate flange or both serves to at least partially support the weight of the cup or glass which is carried by such support.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing, wherein the same reference characters have been used to designate the same parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a plate and glass or cup holder assembly wherein the latter is carried as an integral part of the plate and wherein the plate and holder are preferably, although not necessarily, made out of a pressed fibre blank;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View of the assembly shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the combined plate and cup holder of Fig. 1 before the holder has been bent to a position over the plate, the view illustrating how the device can be made by a simple stamping operation;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view through the plate and holder wherein the inner end of the holder is stapled or otherwise secured in flat contact with the plate rim.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, numeral 6 designates a plate which is preferably formed of pressed bre, Such as paper,

pulp or the like (but which may be formed of any material). y

Plate 6 is shown as having a laterally extending horizontal flange portion 'I which is carried by the upwardly and outwardly slanting marginal wall portion 1a.

As indicated in the drawing, the outwardly extending horizontal flange portion 'I carries the structurally integral support element 8 for a glass or cup I l, such support element 8 as shown having the cut-out or opening IIJ providing seat for at least the lower portion of the cup H, as shown in Fig. 2. In the preferred embodiment of the integral plate and cup or glass support arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the horizontal plate ange l provides two reverted portions 9 which are integral structurally with both the support 8 and plate 9 for carrying the support, it being noted that the horizontal flange l of the plate is arranged to support the overlying marginalportion of the cup or glass support 8 and that the upwardly and outwardly slanting wall 'la of the plate is arranged to engage the lower portion of the cup or glass to at least partially support the same. Thus, both the horizontal flange l of the plate and the upwardly and outwardly slanting wall 'la thereof cooperate in supporting the glass or cup Il.

As Will be readily appreciated, the organization shown in Figs. 1 and 2 lends itself very readily to a stamping operation whereby the plate 6 and cup or glass support 8 will be stamped or formed in a single operation from a blank of material; or, al-

ternatively, formed from pulp material in a single molding operation. It is, of course, to be understood that the support 8 may be provided with a seat otherwise than by the cut-out or-opening l.

In the illustrated form of the invention particular attention is directed to the fact that the support or seat element 8 provides a flat flange-like portion surrounding the seat l0 so as to intercept any drip of uid down the outer side of the cup. Of course, when said cup seat portions 8, 'la are made of brous material they will serve to absorb or blot any moisture running down thereto along the sides of the cup. And in any event, regardless of the material from which said cup or glass support 8 is made, the drippage mentioned will be at least partially prevented from reaching the contents of the plate.

It will be noted by referring to Fig. 2 that the spacement of the seat element 8 above the horizontal ange 1 will have the tendency of causing some of the load of cup Il to be absorbed by the walls of the cut-out ID of the seat element 8. Thus, when filled cup is deposited in the seat element 8 the cup Il tends to slide and pull to the left, said pull being resisted by the band 9 which connects seat 8 to the flange 1, and therefore the entire weight of the cup l l and its contents is not supported on the outwardly slanting wall Ta) Such action is also true with respect to the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4.

Obviously, the invention herein disclosed lends itself to many expressions within the spirit and scope of the subject matter claimed-hereinafter. I, therefore, reserve the right to make such changes and modifications as fairly fall withinV the bounds of my inventive concept.

Figure 4 illustrates a slight modification of the invention as disclosed in Figures 1, 2 and 3. In Figure 4 the stamped out plate and cup holder discloses the outer or side portion 9., 9 of the cup holder 8 stapled or otherwise contiguously secured as at l2 to the underlying horizontal plate iiange 1. This has the advantage of causing the plate ange 1 per se to absorb part of the load of the cup H, or in other, words to share such load with. the holder -8 and the slanting plate wall 1 a. However, in addition, the stapling (i2) or otherwise securing of the overlying holder portion 8 to flange 1 serves to give the flange double strength or stiffness at the sitefof the holder. The curved slanting plate wall 1a servesas an eective prop to prevent movementV of said. reinforced flange portion 1, 8 to the left, as viewed in Figure 4. As will be obvious, the arrangement specified enables the plate and holder combination to be made of lighter material thanv would otherwise be possible.

It is believed that the advantages of my improvements will be readily appreciated by manufacturers and users alike.

Having, thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1,'The combination of a plate and integral support element formed from. a single blank, said plate having a bottom, an upwardly and outwardly slanting marginal wall portion, a laterally extending horizontal rim portion` said support element being integrallyV connected with the horizontal rim portion and folded over and overlying and spaced from the bottom of the plate adjacent one sideY thereof, said support element having an opening f or the reception of at least the lower part of a cup, the upwardly and outwardly slanting wall having a portion.

disposed below one side of the opening for engaging and at leastY partially supporting the lower 4 portion of a cup seated in said opening of the support element.

2. The combination of a plate and integral support element formed from a single blank, said plate having a bottom, an upwardly and outwardly slanting marginal wall portion, a laterally extending horizontal rim portion, said support element being integrally connected with the horizontal rim portion and folded over and spaced from the rim portion and overlying and spaced' from the'bottom of thev plate'adjacent one side thereof, said support element having an opening for the reception of at least the lower part of a cup, the upwardly and outwardly slanting wall having a portion disposed below one side of the opening for engaging and at least partially supporting the lower portion of a cup seated in said opening of the support element.

3. The combination of a plate having an upwardly and outwardly slanting wall portion provided with a laterally extending flange portion, a cup4 or glass supporting element functionally integral with said ange portion and adapted. to extend inwardly of said plate, said plate ange portion and support element having juxtaposed. contiguously engaging portions, securing said` portionsA in contiguous engagementl whereby to substantially double the strength of said flange at the site of said cup or glasssupport, whereby said flange. portion; normally supports said support elementv substantially. in planeY with said flange portion, and said slanting. plate-wall providing a propV to restrain, againstv inward movementl of said cup or glasszsupport andcontiguous flange, portion owing tothe weight ofthe cup or glass associated with said, support.

4. The combination setforth in claim 3, and said supportV element having. a seating opening for a't least a part of the lower portieri` of a cup or the like, and said upwardly and outwardly slanting wall portion being substantiallyA aligned below a portion of said support opening whereby to at` least` partially support a cup or the like seated therein.

WALTER WEIDLER.

REFERENCES CITED rIhe following references are of recordinf the ile of this patent:

UNITED S'IIYIESr PATENTS Number Name Date 197,624v Gerard Nov. 27, 1877 1,457,998 Norwood. June 5, 1923 1,531,700 Jones Mar. 3l, 1925V 1,708,456 Tunick Apr. 9, 1929 1,945,013 Wilson Jan. 30, 1934 2,427,697 Weidler Sept. 23, 194'? 

